A web application is a software program that uses hypertext markup language (HTML) as a communication protocol and delivers information to an end user in HTML. In the web application, web pages perform specific functions and exchange information using a database.
The web application is written with a combination of third-generation languages (3GL) and fourth-generation languages (4GL). Each language performs a different activity in the various layer of the web application. These various layers can include: a presentation layer, an application layer, and a database layer. The presentation layer can be written in JavaScript, Flash, HTML, or a combination thereof. The application layer can be written in Active Server Pages (ASP), Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), Java Server Pages (JSP) or other application-oriented languages. The database layer, which stores the application information, can be managed in a Relational Database Management System 9 (RDBMS) such as Microsoft® Access® or in a database system that uses standard RDBMS languages, such as Structured Query Language (SQL) or other similar 4GL database programming languages.
Manipulation and coding of each of these layers is highly labor intensive and time-consuming. Moreover, programming in the above languages requires sophisticated and specialized programming knowledge. Thus, modifying the web application requires experienced programmers who can competently code in all three layers of the web application. Unfortunately, since most programmers are highly specialized within their fields, they often do not gain exposure and experience with the various business processes which are captured by the web applications. Thus, oftentimes the individuals who best understand a corporation's needs and strategies are not the ones constructing and modifying the web application to address those needs. This disparity results in a loss of time, money, and even accuracy.